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Tie Downs and floor heat

I went with your disired thickness but a must is the 6 bag mix.
One think that I did and not regret one bit was to install anchor tie down points.
I used 1" cold rolled bar stock that I heated to bend them like inverted U shape with long horizontal tails. These are about 3 to 4 feet long and I went with addtional rebar weave mat and and additional 2" thickness 3 to 4 feet around each tie down. I used a cast iron water main shut off cap housing so I have a covered flush floor tie down. I have used these for pulling vehicle frames and such.

I also went with water heating coils underneath the washed sand that has been heated by a simple water heater two 5500watt elements. I have used this system for 14 years now in NORTH DAKOTA!

I do not think you going to like welding on the beam everytime you want to pull a frame. Also if you have ever broken a chain pulling, you need the best anchor you can get. Not sure of the beam thickness, but you could tap 1" holes in it to allow plates to be bolted up.
Kevin

I do not think you going to like welding on the beam everytime you want to pull a frame. Also if you have ever broken a chain pulling, you need the best anchor you can get.
Kevin

I agree. I have witnessed chain breaks from a distance and you can't even blink before the shrapnel fly! If you check, almost every frame shop in the country, uses chains. I have used 1/2" High tensil chains even for light applications. You can also use cable or solid rod links. Common sense goes a long way! My set up is for the smaller jobs, though.

Usually, chains break loose when welded in such a way leverage is applied to the welded link, allowing it to twist and break either the link or the weld. Welding the first link in line to the direction of pull would eliminate this. Also, the use of D-rings (that can flop back and forth) will also prevent broken chains, they can always be air-arced off and reused.

The big advantage to imbedding beams in the floor, you can always weld jigs, fixtures, and even the job itself down to the floor, insuring nothing moves while you are welding it up. Also, you can locate chains and pull-tabs exactly where you want them, vs. having to compromise all the time with permanent imbedded loops.

Portable has been in business long enough, and just from reading his various posts on this board, I'm pretty confident he knows what he's doing.

Obviously, I'm just a hack-artist, you shouldn't be listening to anything I say .....

I would'nt be welding a chain to the beams, I would use flat bar that would weld to the beam and connect the chain to the flat bar with a clevis.

I have thought about drilling the beams with a 1" nut on the bottom side for a 1" eye bolt to thread into.

If I put holes on 3' centers I'm looking at 44 holes.

My 2 center beams are W-12" at 53lb which have a 10" flange with and are 9/16" thick, I took these off a job and they have two 1/2" x 12" plates welded on each side to create a box so I will have to drill and tap these.

I know in the long run I'll be glad if I do this but it means a few more days of work.

I like the flat bar idea. I weld chain down to my floor beams on one side of the chain, then break them off with a hammer after I'm done.(you know beat it on the right side then beat it on the left side till it breaks off. Then I trip over the stub for a week or so before I have my helper grind them off.

Sounds like you going to a lot of trouble to do this job right, don't skimp on the concrete, 8'' or better.

One last thing; make sure you get a good fill around the beams, other wise you'll have a hollow sound when you bang on them.
Good Luck,
Bob

I would use flat bar that would weld to the beam and connect the chain to the flat bar with a clevis.

Better yet.

Too bad Don (DDA52) is no longer participating here; anything to do with steel and concrete, or any combination of the two, I don't think there's been anybody on any boards who knew more than him. Maybe Roy could call or email him, ask Don to contribute his input??????

Obviously, I'm just a hack-artist, you shouldn't be listening to anything I say .....

I did alot of thinking and went ahead and drilled a 1-1/16" hole in the top of the beams, I then bought 1" nuts and welded them into a 2 x 2 x 3/16" square tube that I cut 4" long ( The nuts got welded flush on one end and capped on the other side to keep concrete from getting up inside the tube.)

I then welded a 1/2" rod x 8" long across the bottom of the tube to act as a mudd hook, I then welded them to underside of the top flange of the beam.

so I now have 74 holes that I can spin a 1" eye bolt into. It took a while but it will be worth it.
To keep all the dirt out of the holes I will buy allen set screws that will stay inside and I will remove as needed.

Idea...

1" threaded rod, cut 2" pieces, drill and tap left handed, use a left hand bolt to remove, cap plug to keep dirt out...
Its a lot of extra work, and the cap plugs will may not stay in but hey, it sounds like time and effort are not a problem.

Are you sinking in some 2.5" tube with a cross rod in the bottom to use as floor drain/tool mounts? (vertical)